1715-1820
Toward the end of the eighteenth century, the population of the island boomed. The growth occurred mostly in the rural areas, but the agricultural changes precipitated urban changes that would occur into the twentieth century.
The growth during this period occurred, predictably, along the transportation corridor between San Juan and Rio Piedras, with additional growth in the residential community of Santurce. In order to alleviate the crowding in the central city, the city planners filled in a section of the harbor near the port for commercial and public space.
Much of the population growth during this period came from non-Spanish foreign immigrants, who were welcome provided they were law-abiding, prosperous, and willing to convert to Catholicism.